"Well, then if I go ashore I think there will be somebody going with me."
"You're mistaken," said Fred. "We're going down among the Thousand Islands."
"That doesn't make any difference to me. I'm going to find out who took that bond. If you don't tell me where it is then I shall go to a constable or justice and get out a warrant for you. You have owned up that you had the bond on board your boat. It was a stolen bond and I have been trying to run it down for some time. Now I have found it, or at least I have found the party that had it, and you try to bluff me by saying that you won't tell me where it is. Now, I'll give you your choice. You can have my company, for I shan't leave you until I find out more about it, or you can try to put me ashore and I'll get help. Just as sure as you're sitting here I'll swear out a warrant and have you arrested for stealing that bond."
The boys were inexperienced and for a moment they stared blankly at one another, startled more than they were willing to acknowledge by the bold threat of their unwelcome passenger.
"Well, what is it?" said the man a moment later when no reply had been given to his questions. "Which do you want?"
"The thing for us to do," said Grant in a low voice to Fred, "is to keep right on. We'll take this man down to your grandfather's island and when we get there we'll tell him all about it. He'll know best what to do and we'll wait for his advice before we do anything."
"That's all right, Soc," said Fred, greatly relieved by the words of his friend. Then turning to their passenger he said more boldly than before he had spoken, "I guess we'll take our chances and have you go with us. We'll find out more about this later and give you a chance to tell your story."
"It's all the same to me," said the man glibly. "I'll be glad to have the ride anyway. It's been a long time since I have been on the St. Lawrence River."
Apparently Fred's threat had produced slight effect upon the addition to their party. He spoke as if he were in no fear for himself, while his threat to swear out a warrant for the boys, although it had startled them, had not greatly alarmed any one.
Meanwhile the Black Growler, almost as if she was sharing in the excitement of the boys, was speeding swiftly down the river. The broad expanse of water when she left her dock at Cape Vincent soon was broken by the sight of many islands, some of which were miles in extent while others were tiny little spots, just lifted above the surface of the water.